Psalms 61:1-8

Psalm 61 ¹ 

For the music director; to be played on a stringed instrument; written by David.

61:1 O God, hear my cry for help!

Pay attention to my prayer!

61:2 From the most remote place on earth ² 

I call out to you in my despair. ³ 

Lead me ⁴  up to an inaccessible rocky summit! ⁵ 

61:3 Indeed, ⁶  you are ⁷  my shelter,

a strong tower that protects me from the enemy. ⁸ 

61:4 I will be a permanent guest in your home; ⁹ 

I will find shelter in the protection of your wings. ¹⁰  (Selah)

61:5 For you, O God, hear my vows;

you grant me the reward that belongs to your loyal followers. ¹¹ 

61:6 Give the king long life!

Make his lifetime span several generations! ¹² 

61:7 May he reign ¹³  forever before God!

Decree that your loyal love and faithfulness should protect him. ¹⁴ 

61:8 Then I will sing praises to your name continually, ¹⁵ 

as I fulfill ¹⁶  my vows day after day.

[61:1]  ¹ sn Psalm 61. The psalmist cries out for help and expresses his confidence that God will protect him.

[61:2]  ² tn Heb “from the end of the earth.” This may indicate (1) the psalmist is exiled in a distant land, or (2) it may be hyperbolic (the psalmist feels alienated from God’s presence, as if he were in a distant land).

[61:2]  ³ tn Heb “while my heart faints.”

[61:2]  ⁴ tn The imperfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s wish or prayer.

[61:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “on to a rocky summit [that] is higher than I.”

[61:3]  ⁶ tn Or “for.”

[61:3]  ⁷ tn Or “have been.”

[61:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “a strong tower from the face of an enemy.”

[61:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “I will live as a resident alien in your tent permanently.” The cohortative is understood here as indicating resolve. Another option is to take it as expressing a request, “please let me live” (cf. NASB, NRSV).

[61:4]  ¹⁰ sn I will find shelter in the protection of your wings. The metaphor compares God to a protective mother bird.

[61:5]  ¹¹ tn Heb “you grant the inheritance of those who fear your name.” “Inheritance” is normally used of land which is granted as an inheritance; here it refers metaphorically to the blessings granted God’s loyal followers. To “fear” God’s name means to have a healthy respect for his revealed reputation which in turn motivates one to obey God’s commands (see Ps 86:11).

[61:6]  ¹² tn Heb “days upon days of the king add, his years like generation and generation.”

[61:7]  ¹³ tn Heb “sit [enthroned].” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive here, expressing the psalmist’s prayer.

[61:7]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “loyal love and faithfulness appoint, let them protect him.”

[61:8]  ¹⁵ tn Or “forever.”

[61:8]  ¹⁶ tn Or perhaps, “and thereby fulfill.” The preposition with the infinitive construct here indicates an accompanying circumstance.